Water-cooled furnace door frame



Fe 1964 J. H. REIGHART WATER-COOLED FURNACE DOOR FRAME Original Filed March 7, 1960 INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS United States Patent 0 3,120,217 WATER-COQLED FURNACE 138GB FRAME June H. Reighart, 39% Lee Road, tjleveland, Qhio Original application Mar, 7, 1969, Ser. No. 13,956, new Patent No. 3,077,866, dated Feb. 19, 1963. Divided and this application May 4, 1952, Ser. No. 192,473

2 Claims. (#31. 122 493) The invention relates to furnace door frames, and more particularly to water-cooled door frames especially adapted for use with water-cooled doors of open hearth furnaces, melting furnaces and the like, and the present application is a division of my copending application, Serial No. 13,056, filed March 7, 1960, now Patent No. 3,077,866.

Hollow, water-cooled door frames are commonly used for such furnaces, such door frames comprising generally a hollow steel shell forming an arch with depending hollow legs or jambs communicating therewith, and means for passing cooling water therethrough.

In steel mills generally, river water is circulated through the hollow shell and jambs of such door frames for cooling the same to protect them against the intense furnace heat to which they are subjected. As river water ordinarily contains sand, silt, earth and the like, much of which is so fine that it passes through the filters usually provided for such purpose, considerable difiiculty is experienced by admitting the same to the interiors of such hollow door frames.

A major ditficulty experienced steel mill practice is that this line sand, silt, earth and similar impurities are deposited in a film or layer upon the arch of the door frame, which is subjected to the full intensity of the furnace heat.

This results in this film or layer of earthy substances becoming vitrified by the heat of the furnace, and by continued use additional films of these substances will build up upon the arch of the door frame and become vitrified, forming an insulation layer of such thickness that the water circulating through the hollow shell can no longer adequately cool the arch of the door frame.

As a result, the arch plate of the door frame is subjected to the full intensity of the furnace heat without the benefit of adequate cooling, and quiclcly burns out, rendering the door frame useless and requiring immediate replacement thereof.

Such furnace door frames are sometimes provided with a hollow lintel disposed inwardly toward the interior of the furnace for supporting the skewback channel which supports one end of the furnace roof.

Also, such door frames are sometimes provided with inwardly disposed, hollow jamb guards on the le s or jarnbs of the door frame, between which jamb guards the brickwork of the furnace wall is built.

in some cases, such furnace door frames are provided with both a hollow lintel and hollow jamb guards, and, since these members frame the door opening on the furnace side of the door frame, it is necessary that these hollow lintels and hollow jamb guards be cooled by the circulation of water therethrough in order to protect them from the furnace heat.

Another dilficulty commonly experienced in the use of such water-cooled furnace door frames is the formation of steam pockets which interfere with the flow of water.

It is, therefore, a primary object of the invention to provide a hollow, water-cooled door frame having means therein for preventing earthy impurities in the circulating water from being deposited upon the arch plate of the door frame and insulating the same against the cooling influence of the water.

Another object of the invention is to provide a door frame of the character referred to having sumps in the lower ends of the hollow legs or jambs thereof and means for delivering the cooling water directly to these sumps so that the greater portion of the earthy impurities in the water may be deposited therein, after which the water with these impurities removed therefrom is circulated through the hollow shell,

A further object of the invention is to provide such a door frame in which each sump is formed by an angularly inclined partition wall within and spaced from the lower end of each leg or jamb of the frame, the water inlet pipe being located through said partition wall for delivering the incoming water directly into the sump, the water then rising through an opening at the top of the inclined partition wall and circulating through the hollow door frame to the discharge outlet.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a hollow, water-cooled door frame of the character referred to having a hollow inwardly disposed lintel and means for circulating cooling water through the lintel in a manner to adequately cool the same and protect it from the furnace heat.

Another object of the invention is to provide a furnace door frame of this type having inwardly disposed hollow jamb guards on the legs or jambs thereof and means for circulating cooling water through these jamb guards so as to adequately cool the same to protect them against the heat of the furnace.

A further object of the invention is to provide a Watercooled door frame of this type having a separate circulation system in each jamb guard to prevent accumulation of steam in pockets which would interfere with the flow of water.

it is also an object of the invention to provide such a water-cooled door frame having a hollow inwardly disposed lintel thereon and hollow inwardly disposed jarnb guards upon the legs or jarnbs thereof and means for circulating cooling water through the hollow lintel and through the hollow jamb guards to adequately cool the same and protect them against the furnace heat.

Another object of the invention is to provide a hollow water-cooled door frame of the character referred to in which the hollow lintel and the hollow jamb guards communicate directly with each other.

Another object of the invention is to provide a waterccoled door frame of this type in which spaced baffle walls are provided within the hollow jamb guards so as to direct the flow of cooling water against the innermost portions of the jamb guards.

These and other objects, apparent from the drawing and following description, may be attained, the abovedescr-ibed difficulties overcome and the advantages and results obtained, by the apparatus, construction, arrangement and combinations, subcombinations and parts which comprise the present invention, a preferred embodiment of which, illustrative of the best mode in which applicant has contemp ated applying the principle, being set forth in detail in the following description and illustrated in the accompanying drawing.

in general terms, the invention may be briefly described in its simplest form as comprising a hollow water-cooled furnace door frame comprising a steel shell having dependin legs or jambs, an arch plate in the shell forming the bottom of the main body of the door frame and the opposed side walls of the legs or jambs.

An angularly inclined partition wall is located Within the lower portion of each leg or jamb at a point spaced from the bottom thereof providing a sump in the lower end of each hollow leg or jarnb. A water inlet pipe enters the hollow shell at one upper corner thereof and communicates with a manifold centrally located therein. Pipes lead from each end of said manifold down into the hollow legs or jambs, each pipe passing through the corresponding inclined partition wall and terminating there- 7 below.

Thus, the incoming water is delivered directly to the sumps in the lower ends of the legs or jambs and earthy impurities in the water may be deposited by gravity therein. The water then passes upward through an opening at the top of each inclined partition wall through the hollow legs or jambs and then through the main body portion of the shell and is discharged through an outlet pipe in the other upper corner of the shell.

A small vent is preferably provided in the lower portion of each inclined partition wall to permit a small amount of Water to rise upwardly therethrough, in order to agitate the water in the hollow legs or jambs directly above the inclined partition wall to prevent the deposit of earthy impurities from the water onto the top thereof and to permit such impurities to settle by gravity through said vent into the sump. A clean-out plug provided in the lower portion of each sump for the purpose of periodically removing any accumulation of said, tilt, earth and the like therefrom.

In the embodiment of the invention disclosed and claimed in this application, a hollow jamlb guard is disposed inwardly from each leg or jamb of the hollow door frame, and each hollow jamlb guard communicates with the corresponding leg or jamb of the frame at the lower end of the jamb guard.

Spaced, inclined bafile walls are located within each hollow ja-mb guard in order to direct the flow of water against the innermost portion of the jamb guard. The upper end of each hollow jarnb guard communicates with the corresponding end of the hollow lintel.

If desired, a second sump may be formed in each leg or jamb by locating a second inclined partition wall therein at a point above the first partition wall, the second pipe in each leg extending through this second partition wall and terminating therebelow, and the water rising up from the second sump through an opening at the upper end of the second partition wall and circulating upward through the hollow legs or jarnbs and then through the main body portion of the hollow door frame to the outlet.

In this embodiment of the invention a box is located in the hollow body portion of the door frame and communicates with the hollow lintel through openings in the inner plate.

Pipes communicate with opposite ends of said box and extend toward opposite edges of the door frame, and then are directed downwardly through the corresponding hollow legs or jambs and terminate in the upper sumps there- Having thus briefly described the invention, reference is now made to the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a sectional elevation of a hollow door frame embodying the invention, having communicating hollow jamb guards and hollow lintel with means for circulating water therethrough, looking toward the back or outer side thereof; 7

FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 2-2, FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective of the door trame shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, on a smaller scale, looking toward the inner or furnace side thereof; and

FIG. 4 is'a fragmentary horizontal section taken on the line 4-4, PEG. 1.

Referring more particularly to the embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawing, numeral refer to similar parts throughout, the hollow, water-cooled furnace door frame is in the form of a hollow steel shell comprising the upper or body portion indicated generally at l, and the hollow legs or jarnbs 2 depending from opposite ends thereof.

The shell is formed of the spaced inner and outer steel plates 3 and 4 respectively, forming the inns" and outer in which similar walls of the body portion and the legs or jambs, the top plate 5, the end plates 6 forming the end walls of the body 1 of the frame and of the legs or jambs, the arch plate 7 forming the bottom of the body portion of the frame and the other side wall of each leg or iarnb, and the bottom plates 3 forming closure walls for the lower ends of the legs or jambs 2.

i e plates 3 and 4 may be connected in spaced relation as by the spacing bolts or bars 9. Conventional door guideways as indicated at 19 may be located at each end of e frame on the back or outer side thereof. All of the above parts may be of any usual and well known construction of hollow, water-cooled furnace door frame.

The invention relates to the novel means for circulating cooling water through the hollow door frame for adequately cooling the sarne to protect it against the intense heat of the furnace, and includes means for preventing earthy impurities in the water from being deposited on the arch plate 7 and forming an insulation which interferes with the proper cooling thereof.

Cooling water is admitted to the interior of the hollow door frame through th inlet pipe 11 at one upper corner of the frame, for connection to a hose or the like leading from a suitable supply of cold water, as in usual practice.

Ln this embodiment of the invention, hollow jamb guards 24 are located on the inner or furnace side of the hollow legs or jarnbs 2, and a hollow water-cooled inwardly disposed horizontal lintel 45 is located on the inher or furnace side of the body portion 1 of the door frame, substantially coextensive in length therewith and communicating at its ends with the upper ends of the hollow jam b guards. The fluid inlet pipe 11 extends through the top plate 5, in one upper corner of the frame, and is then directed toward the center of the hollow shell where it is connected to the manifold 12.

Pipes 13 are connected to opposite ends 0 fthe manifold and are directed toward opposite ends of the she-ll and then downward as at 14 into the hollow legs or jarnbs 2. The lower end of each pipe 14 is located through a suitable opening in the inclined partition wall '15 in the corresponding hollow leg.

Each of these partition walls is inclined upwardly to- Ward the inner wall 3 to which it is connected just above inlet opening 25 to the lower end of the corresponding hollow jamb guard 24. Within each hollow jamb guard is located a plurality of inclined bafie plates 26 which terminate at points spaced from the vertical inner wall 27 of the jarnb guard. The lower wall 28 of each hollow jamb guard is inclined upwardly toward the wall 27'and the upper end of each hollow jarnb guard is connected to the adjacent end of the hollow lintel 49 so that communication is provided therebetween.

A transverse partition wall 52 is centrally located in the hollow lintel 40 and a slot 53 is for-med in the inner wall 3 on each side of said partition wall. A baifle wall 54 is connected to the inner wall 3, adjacent to the end of each slot 53, and extends into the hollow lintel 40 to a point spaced from the inner wall 55 thereof.

A box 56 is located in the hollow body portion 1 of the shell and communicates with the hollow lintel 40 through the slots 53. A conduit or pipe 31 is connected to each end of the box 56, preferably at the top thereof.

The pipes 31 are disposed in opposite directions toward opposite ends of the hollow shell and then directed downwardly, as at 32, into the hollow legs or jambs 2, terminating at points spaced above the inclined partition walls 15.

If desired, a second inclined partition wall .33 may be located in each hollow leg, at a point spaced above the partition wall 15 therein, so as to form a second sump in the manner. illustrated and described in-connection with the embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 4 of Patent No. 3,077,866.

An opening 34 is provided in each inclined partition wall 33, adiacent the upper end thereof, so that water admitted to the upper sump 36 from the pipes 32 will pass upward out of said sump and rise in the hollow legs and circulate through the hollow body 1 of the shell of the fluid outlet pipe 19.

Clean-out plugs as above described are provided in each hollow leg or jamb for cleaning out each of the sumps 21 and 36 and for cleaning the top of each inclined partition wall 33 adjacent to the vent 34 therein.

As will be obvious, cold water from the inlet pipe 11 is distributed through the manifold 12 to the pipes 13 and downward through the vertical portions 14 thereof to the lower sumps 21 at the lower ends of the hollow legs. Impurities may be removed by gravity from the water in the sumps and the water will then pass through the inlet openings 25 into the lower ends of the hollow jamb guards 24 passing upward therethrough, around the baifie plates 26 therein and into opposite ends of the hollow lintel 40.

The water will pass from both ends of the lintel toward the center thereof being then diverted by the transverse partition Wall 52 and baflie plates 54 through the slots 53 into the box 56 and then through the pipes 31 to opposite ends of the hollow shell and downwardly through the vertical portions 32 of these pipes into the upper sumps 36, in which more of the earthy impurities may be removed from the water. The water then passes from the sumps 36 upward through the openings 34, rising through the hollow legs or jambs and circulating through the body portion 1 of the hollow door frame, being discharged through the outlet pipe 19.

In the foregoing description, certain terms have been used for brevity, clearness and understanding, but no unnecessary limitations are to be implied therefrom beyond the requirements of the prior art, because such words are used for descriptive purposes therein and are intended to be broadly construed.

Moreover, the embodiments of the improved construction illustrated and described herein are by way of example, and the scope of the present invention is not limited to the exact details of construction.

Having now described the invention or discovery, the construction, the operation, and use of preferred embodiments thereof, and the advantageous new and useful results obtained thereby; the new and useful construction, and reasonable mechanical equivalents thereof obvious to those skilled in the art, are set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

In a hollow, water-cooled furnace door frame of the character described, spaced inner and outer plates having depending extensions at opposite side edges defining in part a hollow shell consisting of a hollow body portion and spaced hollow legs depending therefrom, a top plate closing the top of said hollow body portion, an arch plate closing the bottom of said hollow body portion, and the inner sides of the hollow legs, end plates closing the edges of the hollow body and the outer sides of the hollow legs, bottom plates closing the lower ends of the hollow legs, a partition wall within each hollow leg and spaced from the bottom thereof providing a sump in the lower end of each leg, means for circulating a fluid through said shell, said means comprising a fluid inlet pipe extending from an upper corner of the hollow shell to a point adjacent the center of the hollow body portion, conduits extending down into said hollow legs and through the partition walls therein, means providing communication between said inlet pipe and said conduits, hollow vertical water-cooled jamb guards fixed upon the exterior of said inner plate and substantially coextensive with said hollow legs, means providing communication between each sump and the lower end of the corresponding jamb guard, means providing communication between the upper end of each jamb guard and the hollow shell, a hollow horizontal lintel on the inner side of said hollow body portion, said hollow lintel communicating at its ends with the upper ends of the hollow jamb guards, a transverse partition at the center of the hollow lintel, a box in the center of the hollow body portion, means providing communication between said box and the hollow lintel on each side of said transverse partition, second conduits connected to said box and extending down in the hollow legs to points above said partition walls, and a fluid outlet at the other upper corner of the hollow shell.

2. -In a hollow, water-cooled furnace door frame of the character described, spaced inner and outer plates having depending extensions at opposite side edges defining in part a hollow shell consisting of a hollow body portion and spaced hollow legs depending therefrom, a top plate closing the top of said hollow body portion, an arch plate closing the bottom of said hollow body portion and the inner sides of the hollow legs, end plates closing the edges of the hollow body and the outer sides of the hollow legs, bottom plates closing the lower ends of the hollow legs, a partition wall within each hollow leg and spaced from the bottom thereof providing a sump in the lower end of each leg, means for circulating a fluid through said shell, said means comprising a fluid inlet pipe extending from an upper corner of the hollow shell to a point adjacent the center of the hollow body portion, conduits extending down into said hollow legs and through the partition walls therein, means providing communication between said inlet pipe and said conduits, hollow vertical water-cooled jamb guards fixed upon the exterior of said inner plate and substantially coextensive with said hollow legs, means providing communication between each sump and the lower end of the corresponding jamb guard, means providing communication between the upper end of each jamb guard and the hollow shell, a hollow horizontal lintel on the inner side of said hollow body portion, said hollow lintel communicating at its ends with the upper ends of the hollow jamb guards, a transverse partition at the center of the hollow lintel, a box in the center of the hollow body portion, means providing communication between said box and the hollow lintel on each side of said transverse partition, baflie plates in said hollow lintel spaced from the transverse partition therein, said means providing communication being located between said transverse partition and said baflie plates, second conduits connected to said box and extending down in the hollow legs to points above said partition walls, and a fluid outlet at the other upper corner of the hollow shell.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,211,884 Schmidt Ian. 9, 1917 2,529,272 Yoxall Nov. 7, 1950 2,720,192 Humes Oct. 11, 1955 FOREIGN PATENTS 774,209 Great Britain May 8, 1957 

1. IN A HOLLOW, WATER-COOLED FURNACE DOOR FRAME OF THE CHARACTER DESCRIBED, SPACED INNER AND OUTER PLATES HAVING DEPENDING EXTENSIONS AT OPPOSITE SIDE EDGES DEFINING IN PART A HOLLOW SHELL CONSISTING OF A HOLLOW BODY PORTION AND SPACED HOLLOW LEGS DEPENDING THEREFROM, A TOP PLATE CLOSING THE TOP OF SAID HOLLOW BODY PORTION, AN ARCH PLATE CLOSING THE BOTTOM OF SAID HOLLOW BODY PORTION, AND THE INNER SIDES OF THE HOLLOW LEGS, END PLATES CLOSING THE EDGES OF THE HOLLOW BODY AND THE OUTER SIDES OF THE HOLLOW LEGS, BOTTOM PLATES CLOSING THE LOWER ENDS OF THE HOLLOW LEGS, A PARTITION WALL WITHIN EACH HOLLOW LEG AND SPACED FROM THE BOTTOM THEREOF PROVIDING A SUMP IN THE LOWER END OF EACH LEG, MEANS FOR CIRCULATING A FLUID THROUGH SAID SHELL, SAID MEANS COMPRISING A FLUID INLET PIPE EXTENDING FROM AN UPPER CORNER OF THE HOLLOW SHELL TO A POINT ADJACENT THE CENTER OF THE HOLLOW BODY PORTION, CONDUITS EXTENDING DOWN INTO SAID HOLLOW LEGS AND THROUGH THE PARTITION WALLS THEREIN, MEANS PROVIDING COMMUNICATION BETWEEN SAID INLET PIPE AND SAID CONDUITS, HOLLOW VERTICAL WATER-COOLED JAMB GUARDS FIXED UPON THE EXTERIOR OF SAID INNER PLATE AND SUBSTANTIALLY COEXTENSIVE WITH SAID HOLLOW LEGS, MEANS PROVIDING COMMUNICATION BETWEEN EACH SUMP AND THE LOWER END OF THE CORRESPONDING JAMB GUARD, MEANS PROVIDING COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE UPPER END OF EACH JAMB GUARD AND THE HOLLOW SHELL, A HOLLOW HORIZONTAL LINTEL ON THE INNER SIDE OF SAID HOLLOW BODY PORTION, SAID HOLLOW LINTEL COMMUNICATING AT ITS ENDS WITH THE UPPER ENDS OF THE HOLLOW JAMB GUARDS, A TRANSVERSE PARTITION AT THE CENTER OF THE HOLLOW LINTEL, A BOX IN THE CENTER OF THE HOLLOW BODY PORTION, MEANS PROVIDING COMMUNICATION BETWEEN SAID BOX AND THE HOLLOW LINTEL ON EACH SIDE OF SAID TRANSVERSE PARTITION, SECOND CONDUITS CONNECTED TO SAID BOX AND EXTENDING DOWN IN THE HOLLOW LEGS TO POINTS ABOVE SAID PARTITION WALLS, AND A FLUID OUTLET AT THE OTHER UPPER CORNER OF THE HOLLOW SHELL. 